SNAP Certification Periods Ending in October 2020 through February 2021 will be Extended 6 months

Illinois Department of Human Services Logo

10/27/2020

Policy Memo

Summary

  • Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has granted approval to allow the Department of Human Services (IDHS) to extend approval periods an additional 6 months for SNAP households whose benefits are due to expire from October 2020 thru February 2021 and have not yet received a 6-month extension. This extension does not apply to SNAP households who were  previously granted a 6-month extension and the certification periods are due to expire during this same timeframe.
  • Previously, 6-month extensions were given to households coming due for recertification in the months of March, April, May, June, July, August, and September 2020. These cases were already extended for 6 months to September, October, November, December 2020, and January, February, and March 2021. When their extension period is over, these cases will receive an 1893 redetermination form to complete and recertify. There will be no more extensions granted for these SNAP households. These households will receive a REDE application and must be interviewed and have their eligibility determined under regular SNAP policy.
  • The waiver approval allows IDHS to extend certification periods for both Change Reporting households and Mid-Point Reporting households with an adjustment to the Mid-Point Reporting requirement. This 6-month extension applies only to Change Reporting and Mid-Point Reporting SNAP households that were already approved for SNAP with a 12-month certification period. Mid-Point Reporting households will remain in Mid-Point Reporting status during the 6-month extension period.
    • For example: Cases approved from November 2019 - October 2020 will now be extended until April 2021. Cases approved from December 2019 - November 2020 will be extended to May 2021. Cases approved from January 2020 - December 2020 will be extended to June 2021. Cases approved from February 2020 - January 2021 will be extended to July 2021, Cases approved from March 2020 - February 2021 will be extended to August 2021.
  • The Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) will not have to process REDEs or Mid-Point Reports for the affected cases. IES will systematically extend the certification periods of the applicable cases. No action is required by the FCRC staff for this extension process. REDE form 1893 has been mailed to SNAP households for the month of October 2020. Future mailings for the form 1893 and Mid-Point Reporting form 2890 will be stopped for affected cases.
  • For October 2020, Mid-Point Reports and REDEs that have already been issued to the client and have been or will be returned by the SNAP households receiving the extension, the FCRC is not required to process those that are pending and have not yet been acted upon. However, for those Mid-Point Reports and REDEs that have already been processed, the processing and any resulting changes remain in effect. The REDE task will be centrally closed for SNAP cases that have been extended, even if the REDE was submitted.
  • For those Mid-Point Reports and REDEs received with reported information or attached verifications, the FCRC is not required to process or take any action on the information reported on or provided with a Mid-Point Report and REDE application.
  • Mid-Point Report and REDE tasks will be closed for the affected cases being extended and any scheduled REDE interviews will be removed systematically by IES.
  • SNAP households whose 12-month certification period expires at the end of October, November December 2020, January, February 2021 that did not yet receive a 6-month extension due to not returning a REDE application will have their case reinstated with a 6-month extension. This will be done centrally and will not require any action by the FCRC.
  • Mid-Point Reports due in October 2020 - February 2021 will be marked as received. SNAP households who did not return a Mid-Point Report in October 2020 - February 2021 will be reinstated, and benefits will continue for 6-months. This will be done systematically by IES and will not require any action by the FCRC.
  • Client Notices will be mailed for each individual month to Mid-Point Reporting households and to Change Reporting households to inform them of the extension and their reporting requirements for certification periods ending October, November, December 2020, January and February 2021.
  • In a continued effort to provide uninterrupted benefits to SNAP recipients and ensure the health and safety of both clients and FCRC staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) requested waiver approval to extend the certification period of SNAP households whose benefits will expire at the end of October 2020, November, December 2020, January, February 2021 for an additional 6-months.
  • Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has granted approval to allow IDHS to extend SNAP certification periods ending October 2020-February 2021 for an additional 6 months. In addition, SNAP households with Mid-Point Reports due October 2020-February 2021 will continue to receive benefits without interruption.
  • The Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) will not have to process REDEs or Mid-Point Reports for the affected cases. This will allow staff to focus on the timely processing of initial SNAP applications ensuring that applicants receive the help they need with food assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. SNAP applications must be approved and if eligible SNAP applicants must have their SNAP benefits by the 30th day from the date of application. If ineligible, SNAP applications must be denied by the 30th day from the date of application.

SNAP Households Previously Granted an Extension

This extension does not apply to SNAP households who had a certification period expiring in March, April, May, June, July, August, and September 2020 and were granted a 6-month extension. See Policy Memo, Select SNAP Certification Periods Extended for 6-Months Due to COVID-19, dated 04/18/2020, SNAP Certification Periods Ending June 2020 Extended for 6 Months, dated 05/20/2020, SNAP Certification Periods Ending in July 2020 and August 2020 will be Extended published 08/13/2020, and SNAP Certification Periods Ending in September 2020 will be Extended published 09/22/2020. These households will receive a REDE application and must be interviewed and have their eligibility determined under regular SNAP policy. The waiver approval for the extension will only apply for households with a 12-month approval certification date that will expire at the end of October, November, December 2020, January, and February 2021. REDE form 1893 has been mailed to SNAP households for the month of November 2020. Future mailing for the form 1893 and Mid-Point Reporting form 2890 will be stopped for affected cases that have not yet been extended 6 months.

What Households are getting the Extension?

  • The waiver approval for this 6-month extension applies only to Change Reporting and Mid-Point Reporting SNAP households that were approved for SNAP with a 12-month certification period effective October 2019, November 2019 December 2019, January 2020, and February 2020 and are now coming due for a REDE in October 2020, November 2020, December 2020, January 2021, and February 2021
    • For example: Cases approved from November 2019 - October 2020 will now be extended until April 2021. Cases approved from December 2019 - November 2020 will be extended to May 2021. Cases approved from January 2020 - December 2020 will be extended to June 2021. Cases approved from February 2020 - January 2021 will be extended to July 2021, Cases approved from March 2020 - February 2021 will be extended to August 2021.
  • Mid-Point Reporting households will remain in Mid-Point Reporting status during the 6-month extension period.
  • SNAP households whose 12-month certification period expires at the end of October, November December 2020, January, February 2021 that did not return a REDE application will have their case reinstated with a 6-month extension. This will be done centrally and will not require any action by the FCRC
  • REDEs that have previously been issued, received and processed require no additional action by the FCRC under the waiver.
  • IES will produce the central batch action to extend the certification periods for October 2020 through February 2021 (except for those cases that were previously given a 6-month extension).
  • SNAP households receiving the extension will receive the same regular benefit amount for each month, except households that qualify for an emergency supplemental SNAP allotment for October will receive a supplement. See Policy Memo, Emergency SNAP Allotments Extend for October 2020, dated 10/19/2020.

Example 1: Mr. T applied for SNAP on November 01, 2019. He was approved to receive SNAP in the amount of $194 through October 30, 2020 as a Change Reporter. Mr. T did not return his REDE application (Form 1893) and his certification expired at the end of October 2020. Mr. T's SNAP EDG will be systematically reinstated by IES with a 6-month extension from October 2020 through March 2021. His benefit amount will be $204 each month due to the increase in the SNAP standards effective October 2020. Mr. T will be sent Form 1893 to reapply for SNAP approximately 60 days prior to end of his certification period April 2021.

Example 2: Ms. B applied for SNAP on May 01, 2019. She was approved to receive SNAP in the amount of $194 through April 30, 2020 as a Change Reporter. Ms. B did not return her REDE application (Form 1893) and her certification expired at the end of April 2020. Under the initial waiver approval from Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Ms. B's SNAP EDG was systematically reinstated by IES with a 6- month certification extension from May 2020 through November 2020. Ms. B received benefits in the amount of $194 each month. Approximately 60 days prior to end of her certification period November 2020, Ms. B is sent Redetermination Application (Form 1893 to reapply for SNAP). Although Ms. B's certification period is expiring at the end of October 2020, she does not qualify for an additional extension under the new waiver. Ms. B must submit a completed REDE application, be interviewed and have their eligibility determined under regular SNAP policy.

SNAP Extended Certification Periods

  • Change Reporting and Mid-Point Reporting SNAP households that have certification periods due to expire October 2020, November 2020, December 2020, January 2021 and February 2021 will be extended to an additional 6 months. Mid-Point Reporting households will remain in Mid-Point Reporting status during the 6-month period,
  • SNAP households whose certification period expired in October or will expire in October due to not returning a REDE application will have their case reinstated with a 6-month extension.
  • For pending October and November SNAP REDEs, benefits will be systematically continued with a 6-month extension. The task will be removed automatically.
  • REDEs that have previously been issued, received and processed require no additional action by the HSC under the waiver. IES will suppress any future mailing of Form 1893.
  • Form 1893 will not be mailed to SNAP households with a certification end date of December 2020, January and February 2021. SNAP certification periods will be systematically extended for 6 months (see chart below).
  • IES will produce the central batch action to extend the certification period for each of the following months. The SNAP household will receive the same regular benefit amount for each month, unless the household qualifies for an emergency supplemental SNAP allotment for October.
  • See Policy Memorandum, Emergency SNAP Allotments for October 2020, dated 10/19/2020.
SNAP Certification Period Expiring Certification Extended Through
10/2020 04/2021
11/2020 05/2021
12/2020 06/2021
01/2021 07/2021
02/2021 08/2021

Mid-Point Reports

  • TANF and SNAP Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) due October that have previously been issued, received and processed require no additional action by the HSC under the waiver. This also applies for the months of November 2020-February 2021.
  • For pending October 2020 - February 2021 Mid-Point Reports, benefits will be systematically continued without interruption. The tasks will be systematically removed by IES. No FCRC action is required.
  • SNAP households that do not return a Mid-Point Report in October will be systematically reinstated. Benefits will continue without interruption. No FCRC action is required.
  • Example: Ms. J applied for SNAP on May 1, 2020 and was approved in Mid-Point Reporting through April 2021. Ms. J was sent TANF and SNAP Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) in August 2020 that was due October 02, 2020. Ms. J did not return the Mid-Point Report and her SNAP benefits are canceled effective November 2020. Under the FNS waiver, Ms. J's SNAP EDG will be systematically reinstated, and benefits recalculated using the new SNAP standards effective October 2020. Benefits will continue for 6-months (November 2020 - March 2021).

Pending Mid-Point Reports and REDES

  • For Mid-Point Reports and REDEs that have already been processed, the processing and any resulting changes will remain in effect.
  • Pending Mid-Point Reports and REDEs from SNAP households receiving an extended certification period will have benefits systematically continued with a 6-month extension. All tasks will be closed automatically by IES. No action is required by the FCRC.
  • For Mid-Point Reports and REDEs that have already been issued to the client and have been or will be returned by the client for September, the FCRC is not required to process those that are pending and have not yet been acted upon. Mid-Point Report and REDE tasks will be closed for the cases being extended and any scheduled REDE interviews will be removed systematically by IES. This does not apply to SNAP households that were previously granted an extension from March, April, May, June, July, August, September 2020 and are now due for an October, November, December 2020, January, February 2021 REDE. The SNAP households were already given a 6-month extension. These households will receive a REDE application and must be interviewed and have their eligibility determined under regular SNAP policy.
  • For Mid-Point Reports and REDEs received with reported information or attached verifications, the FCRC is not required to process or take any action on the information reported on or provided with a Mid-Point Report and REDE application.

Client Notices

Client Notices will be mailed for each individual month to Mid-Point Reporting households and to Change Reporting households to inform them of the extension and their reporting requirements for certification periods ending October, November, December 2020, January and February 2021.

Mid-Point Reporting Households

  • Notice of Extended Approval Period will be mailed to Mid-Point Report households certification period ending:
    • October 2020
    • November 2020
    • December 2020
    • January 2021
    • February 2021
  • This does not apply to SNAP households that were previously granted an extension from March, April, May, June July, August, and September 2020.
  • The notice informs the household to report when the:
    • total gross monthly income exceeds the gross monthly income standard for the household size;
    • household contains an able-bodied adult without dependents who is subject to the time-limits and has work hours that drop below 20 hours per week, averaged monthly.
  • The change must be reported by the 10th day of the calendar month after the calendar month that the income exceeds the Gross Monthly Income Standard for the SNAP household size.

Change Reporting Households

  • Notice of Extended Approval Period will be mailed to Change Reporting households certification period ending:
    • October 2020
    • November 2020
    • December 2020
    • January 2021
    • February 2021
  • This does not apply to SNAP households that were previously granted an extension from March, April, May, June July, August, and September 2020.
  • The notice informs the household to report when the:
    • someone gets, changes, or loses a job, or when hours of work are reduced;
    • monthly earned income changes by more than $100;
    • the source of unearned income changes, or the amount changes by more than $100;
    • someone moves in or out;
    • a change of address and new shelter costs;
    • the court order to pay child support changes or ends;
    • household contains an able-bodied adult without dependents who is subject to the time-limits and has work hours that drop below 20 hours per week, averaged monthly.
  • The change must be reported within 10 calendar days of the date they learn of the change.
Note: The entire State is exempt from the SNAP Work Requirement. See Manual Release #20.17, Entire State Exempt from SNAP Time-Limit, dated 09/02/2020. Changes are still required to be reported according to the household's reporting status.

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms referenced:

Form 1893

Form 2890

CN 20.XX/CN 20.XXS

CN 20.XX/CN 20.XXS